Sub-Wavelength Multibeam antennas : Backhaul key components RF & Microwave April 2015 Alain LE FEVRE (Thales Communications & Security) Romain CZARNY (Thales Reseach &Technology) SARABAND ANTENNAS1

Content SARABAND Project / Antenna requirements Technology Application Manufacturing Conclusion SARABAND ANTENNAS 2

Namely, SARABAND project objectives can be summarized as follows: To develop low-profile high-gain antennas in Q-band To develop Q-band multi-beam antennas with up to five beams of and one mono beam with programmable directions To implement Q-band high power radio front-end with MMICS on a smart (miniaturized) technology SIP (System in Package) Integration of antennas with radio heads to achieve a cost effective and compact solution and demonstrate on the Campus of the University of VALENCIA the performances of the Network SARABAND ANTENNAS 3 SARABAND PROJECT OVERVIEW

This presentation develops the design of Lens antennas and specifically MULTIBEAM LENS ANTENNA Three antennas were developed during the Project (Sub-λ Lens, Fabry-Perot and CSPA - Circular Switched Parasitic GHz) SARABAND ANTENNAS4 Fabry Perot antenna (19,8 dBi) CSPA antenna (10 or 15 dBi) Lens

Lens antenna development. SARABAND ANTENNAS5 Bulk Lens/Horn Feeder (Gain > 32 dBi) Existing antennas Patch antenna (Gain = 28 dBi) In respect of the dimensions allowed (110X110 mm), no possibility of gain improvement with patch antenna. No molding process capability for bulk Lens antenna: shrinkage =  Cost

SARABAND ANTENNAS6 Gain > patch antenna and equivalent to Bulk lens antenna Respect of the dimensions ( 120 X 120 mm L and l) Multibeam Capability Production Capability Versatility for Adapted- Multibeam applications Lens antenna development: Requirements

ANTENNAS TECHNOLOGY SARABAND ANTENNAS7

Sub-λ Lens Technology SARABAND ANTENNAS8 Lens antenna compactness improvement Q Band applications: need to reduce lens weight, thickness and cost while enhancing performances Go from 3 D bulk to a quasi-flat one

SARABAND ANTENNAS9 Sub-λ Lens Technology Bulk dielectric RF lens Sub-wavelength binary diffractive RF lens Low profile and efficient RF lens Gives the ability to obtain a local phase control Capacity to tailor locally effective permittivity with : Periodical sub-wavelength Structure Traditional approach THALES R&T Metamaterial approach 1 <  eff < 

Dimensions and performances BULK Lens (Hyperbolic) SARABAND ANTENNAS10 Sub-wavelength Lens* Higher illumination efficiency for the sub- configuration *Co-design THALES R&T and ORTEH within SARABAND

SARABAND ANTENNAS11 Performances benchmark Bulk lens Sub-wavelength lens* Optimised sub-wavelength lens* In the same antenna configuration up to ~ 1,5 dB gain improvement thanks to sub-wavelength technology *Co-design THALES R&T and ORTEH within SARABAND

Compact and intergrated High-gain multi-beam lens antenna SARABAND ANTENNAS12 APPLICATIONS

SARABAND ANTENNAS13 Multi-beam lens antenna concept Feeder Lens (sub-wavelength) Distributor (sub-wavelength) 30° Low cost reconfigurability thanks to modification of the customised distributor 5 distributed beams within  30°

SARABAND ANTENNAS14 Multi-beam* lens antenna 42 GHz results 25 dBi measured for central beam at 42 GHz 91% distribution efficiency *Design THALES R&T within SARABAND

Application to Multibeam lens antenna- 3 beams (Demonstrator) The multibeam lens antenna can be designed for 3 0°, -10° and +22° angles from the transmitter. SARABAND ANTENNAS15 -10° 0° 22° Central Station

PRODUCTION SARABAND ANTENNAS16 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING (AM) Traditional manufacturing process are not adapted for Sub-λ Lens

SARABAND ANTENNAS17 Mechanical requirements Structure size between 4,0 and 0,4 mm (at 42 GHz) Height/size aspect ratio between 4 and 40 Precision of ~ 0,1 mm Materials requirements Low loss material (tan δ < 0,01) at 42 GHz Durable materials Is Dielectric AM an answer Versatile for dielectric shaping Small batches production capability Some AM technologies can meet the mechanical requirements

SLS: Selective Laser Sintering CJP: Colour Jet Printing FDM: Fused Deposit Modelling MJP: MultiJet Printing SARABAND ANTENNAS18 Additive Manufacturing process and Material Characterization. ULTEM PC ABS PA FullCure 720 EX-200

SARABAND ANTENNAS19 CONCLUSION

Cf Presentation of F. MAGNE: Mulibeam cost performance k SARABAND ANTENNAS20 Capex backhaul /subscribers 4 Sectors 25€ Multibeam 19,5€ Price reduction 22%

Lens antennas, as well as CSPA, patch and Fabry Perot antennas were developed during SARABAND Project Sub-λ Lens antenna characteristics are presented in this presentation. High gain Sub-λ lens antenna offers weight reduction (160g/445g) thickness reduction (13mm/55mm) and cost reduction (100 euros/250 euros) versus bulk lens antenna. Multibeam lens antenna design is a very attractive innovation with beams number and gain adaptation and versatility SARABAND ANTENNAS21

SARABAND List of Partners ● Thales Communications & Security SA ● BLUWAN UK Ltd ● Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales ● Fraunhofer – Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques ● Thales Research & Technology ● Systrel SAS ● Universitat Politècnica de València ● Fibernova Systems SL ● Orteh SP. Z O.O. sarabandfp7.eu22